Walking Dublin

Heading over to Dublin for St Patrick’s Day is becoming increasingly popular. However, there is more to this charming town than its raucous March celebration. LIAM HOGAN believes a walking tour will highlight the best the town has to offer.

Continuing by the tall layered building which is Ireland’s Central Bank and Temple Bar’s pubs you find Eustace Street. On the far end of the street you will notice a symbol over an obscure entrance. This marks the Ireland Film Centre. Going through its hallway you can pick up copy of the free Dublin Events Guide, which will give you a feel for the brimming nightlife and arts scene in the city.

Around here you will see some of Dublin’s historic pubs, such as the Stag’s Head. With a long marble covered counter and stained glass windows you will not be disappointed with searching it out. As a bonus, it also serves tasty ‘pub grub’.

Heading further down Dame Street you come across the curving frontage of the Bank of Ireland. Before they acquired the building in 1803 it housed the Irish Parliament. People negotiating the traffic lights at the College Green junction, with Trinity College in the background, will leave you in no doubt that Dublin is an incredibly vibrant city.

The statues of Oliver Goldsmith and Edmund Burke, writer and a political philosopher respectively, guide you towards the archway lined with notice boards, in to Ireland’s oldest university. It was founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth 1st. Making your way to the right you will find the Treasury that houses The Book of Kells. Dating from 800 AD, the illuminated manuscript was presented to the college by the Bishop of Meath in 1654. The college’s Long Room also happens to be the largest singe chamber library in the world.

In nearby Grafton Street you will see the cosmopolitan shoppers making their way to up-market stores such as Brown Thomas. At the top of the pedestrianised street, buskers are strategically positioned just before you approach Saint Stephen’s Green with its lake and strolling areas.

However, you will have missed many of the pubs that are part of Dublin’s literary history that are tucked in the side streets off Grafton Street. The Bailey and Davy Byrne’s look modern but they have associations with Irish writers Brendan Behan and James Joyce, among other colourful figures from the past. Kehoe’s is an older style establishment worth visiting.

Merrion Square is famous for its Georgian buildings. A short distance away are the state buildings of Irish Parliament, The National Library, the National Museum of Ireland. If you stroll back along by the perimeter of Trinity College is Kilkenny which specialises in Irish designed products. It also has a restaurant serving authentic Irish dishes.

The north of the River Liffey has been undergoing regeneration, but is not quite as glamorous as the south side of the city. However, there are lots of things worth noting. Statues commemorating major figures from Irish history including Daniel O’Connell and Charles Stewart Parnell are sited on the centre isles of O’Connell Street. The Spire of Dublin, at the centre, towering to 120 metres is a symbol of ‘new’ Ireland. Nelson’s Pillar built in the 1880’s during British rule was blown up during ‘the troubles’ in 1966.

The General Post Office, built in 1814, was the central stage of Ireland’s 1916 Rising. After the execution of its leaders, events were set in motion that led to the setting up of the Irish Free State in 1922. It’s worth going inside as you see a sculpture of CuChÃ¹lainn — a legendary figure from Irish history. It depicts the warrior with a raven on his shoulder. Wounded in battle, he tied himself to a post to ward off aggressors. It was only when the bird landed that his enemies realised he was dead.

A statue of James Joyce ‘perched’ on his walking stick on Earl Street North (opposite the ‘GPO’) provides a good photo opportunity. The city boasts a long list of famous writers, so it is not surprising that there is a central venue to celebrate their achievements. The Dublin Writers Museum contains personal effects, old manuscripts, portraits and photographs of various writers. You can take a break from studying the writers lives in the Chapter One Restaurant. There is an associated centre that organises writing events and supplies relevant information.Following the banks of the Liffey is another direction worth taking. The Ha’penny Bridge, which dates from 1816, is a familiar postcard image. However, the James Joyce Bridge further west along the river is among the more modern crossings.

Christchurch Cathedral, just further long, is reckoned to be the site of the original Viking settlement of Dublin. The cathedral once housed the tomb of ‘Strongbow.’ He was an Anglo-Norman lord — Richard de Clare who came to Ireland in 1169. This era is equated with the start of British rule in Ireland. The original tomb was demolished in the twelfth century and replaced by the present monument.

Just around the corner you can glimpse the square tower of Saint Michan’s church on Church Street, it commemorates a Danish saint. Originally built in 1095, it was restored at various stages. In its vaults are the preserved bodies of what may be a crusader, a nun and a criminal. They were kept intact through the centuries due to the dry limestone atmosphere and gases. There are also other interesting historic artefacts around the vaults.

Coming back across bridge is Ireland’s oldest pub, The Brazen Head which stands on the site of the original which dates from 1198. The huge cylinders mark the Guinness Brewery at St. James’s Gate. The Storehouse House at its centre hosts a tour of the brewing processes, with a free sample of the famous beverage. You can get panoramic views of Dublin from one of its bars and Irish food is also served, so it’s deserving of the hype.If you are spending more than three days in Dublin, then you might have time to visit other attractions. To the northwest of Dublin is the Boyne Valley and Drogheda, both worthy of a visit. If you’re heading south, Wicklow, ‘the Garden of Ireland’, is a popular tourist spot.

Meanwhile, back in town there is still plenty to do. Keeping up with modern Dublin and the surrounding area will undoubtedly keep you busy.